September 18, 20204 yr comment_271341 So I was on park recently and got a few rides in on the Big One. I found near the front to be kinda meh, the back to be God awful. However, I found the 2nd and 3rd to back to be absolutely fantastic and so immensely fast (and much less rough than the back), potentially my favourite coaster experience in the UK. Did anyone else have a similar experience with this?
September 20, 20204 yr comment_271371 I went to Blackpool for the first ever time a little over a week ago. Some thoughts... -Icon was fun, but not great. Launches are probably the weakest I've done. Only one good airtime moment. The layout is well integrated around the other rides, but not particularly interesting. -Big One is a big old meh. Did nothing for me. -Grand National is a national treasure and by far the best attraction at the park in my opinion. Opinion is likely swayed because I only rode it in back row which is probably a smoother seat, but still. -Was spited by Nick Streak. 😓 -Park feels like it needs a water ride which gets you suitably wet. The open water rides looked too wet imo, and obviously Valhalla has a reputation for a reason. -I liked the dark rides. The Pleasure Beach itself is nice enough for what it is. Not my cup of tea really, but I had fun all things considered. Blackpool as a town is even tackier than I imagined though. Eurgh.
September 21, 20204 yr comment_271374 13 hours ago, JoshC. said: I went to Blackpool for the first ever time a little over a week ago. Some thoughts... -Icon was fun, but not great. Launches are probably the weakest I've done. Only one good airtime moment. The layout is well integrated around the other rides, but not particularly interesting. -Big One is a big old meh. Did nothing for me. -Grand National is a national treasure and by far the best attraction at the park in my opinion. Opinion is likely swayed because I only rode it in back row which is probably a smoother seat, but still. -Was spited by Nick Streak. 😓 -Park feels like it needs a water ride which gets you suitably wet. The open water rides looked too wet imo, and obviously Valhalla has a reputation for a reason. -I liked the dark rides. The Pleasure Beach itself is nice enough for what it is. Not my cup of tea really, but I had fun all things considered. Blackpool as a town is even tackier than I imagined though. Eurgh. 1. Yes. Absolutely agree with the Icon point. I really fail to see the hype behind it at all. If I wanted to go through a load of turns in a slow and boring manner, I would get in a Go Kart driven by @Matt Creek 2. Big one is a major mixed bag to me. Yes it has a great drop, yes its a legend in the UK industry and yes it gives nice views of the park and area. Its just dull post drop though. I much prefer Magnum at Cedar Point. 3. One has not lived until they have a back row on Grand National!! Its not the pleasure beach without it. A true life altering experience if you have a rough ride mind you xD 4. Shame about streak!! Its real good fun. 5. I do genuinely believe that when Valhalla returns, the wetness of it will be dialled right down. The drops themself never really got the riders that wet, it was more the effects like the water vortex and the hammers that whammed down next to the boat and shot water up into it. I highly doubt the Vortex will return when the ride is back open. 6. Cant go wrong with the Blackpool dark rides!! 7. Blackpool is indeed a bit of a dive!!
September 21, 20204 yr comment_271377 I miss Wild Mouse lol. Lowkey the best coaster in the UK when it was open. I remember Revolution being great though, even if it was brutal, the airtime made the ride great. I think BPB have a decent lineup of coasters, I haven't ridden ICON yet though. But certainly nothing on Alton. Avalanche and the Woodies slap though, Avalanche makes other Bobsled coasters look really boring in comparison. I need to get back there. Agreed on Big One though, its a kiddie coaster after the drop. You could probably check tinder and update your Facebook status while on it, its that boring.
November 11, 20204 yr comment_271794 Amanda Thompson has tweeted this; However, it looks as though the "opening 2021" text has been removed from the sign; Sadly this could suggest it has been delayed?
November 12, 20204 yr comment_271797 Dunno why it could possibly have been delayed, though I'm sure some enthusiasts will use it as a stick to beat the park with.
November 12, 20204 yr comment_271799 Has Valhalla’s reopening been delayed? The short Answer Yes The long Answer Most likely. Whilst the park could well still reopen this for the 2021 season, it all goes down to how much work is still left to do and how quickly they can fulfill it,especially with current conditions. The pandemic/lockdown will have caused major delays, so it’s hard to say when we could see Valhalla reopen. Maybe Summer, possibly Autoumn? Could well be 2022 now given everything.
November 12, 20204 yr comment_271801 1 hour ago, Benin said: Dunno why it could possibly have been delayed, though I'm sure some enthusiasts will use it as a stick to beat the park with. They'll hate the refurbishment anyway. Thats how enthusiast circles work anyway, decry something for becoming run down, get their hopes up when it closes to be redone then hate the new version. It's Enthusiast 101.
November 12, 20204 yr comment_271810 4 hours ago, Mark9 said: They'll hate the refurbishment anyway. Thats how enthusiast circles work anyway, decry something for becoming run down, get their hopes up when it closes to be redone then hate the new version. It's Enthusiast 101. Why should something not be decried for getting run down, then why should enthusiasts not be enthusiastic when something closes to be redone? That could go for guests, not just enthusiasts. And have there been any genuinely great revamps on rides in recent years, where something has gotten better than when it first opened? Valhalla might be brilliant when it reopens for all we know! But if it's a disappointment, then it's a disappointment. Nobody knows yet.
November 13, 20204 yr comment_271814 13 hours ago, SteveJ said: Why should something not be decried for getting run down, then why should enthusiasts not be enthusiastic when something closes to be redone? That could go for guests, not just enthusiasts. And have there been any genuinely great revamps on rides in recent years, where something has gotten better than when it first opened? Valhalla might be brilliant when it reopens for all we know! But if it's a disappointment, then it's a disappointment. Nobody knows yet. I've been in this game for a long time. I know how this all works.
November 14, 20204 yr comment_271818 Me too, that's why I just wait to be pleasantly surprised if something does turn out enjoyable. I don't get my hopes up when each new random thing is announced and wait to experience it myself with an open mind. For all I know Valhalla might be great when it reopens, we have no idea. Or it might be another dodgy 'TLC' type revamp I do think it's one much loved dark ride that had plenty potential for re-working without losing what people enjoyed about it in the first place, so I wonder how far they're going with it.
November 14, 20204 yr comment_271819 On 11/12/2020 at 6:39 PM, SteveJ said: And have there been any genuinely great revamps on rides in recent years, where something has gotten better than when it first opened? Hadn’t really thought about it like that tbf but I’d say Gruffalo, Tiger Rock, Walking Dead The Ride are all good examples of a revamp improving the ride. That said I guess you could argue all 3 were better in their original form (Maybe not XNWO!) Fingers crossed Valhalla is a similar improvement!
November 14, 20204 yr comment_271820 1 hour ago, Marc said: Hadn’t really thought about it like that tbf but I’d say Gruffalo, Tiger Rock, Walking Dead The Ride are all good examples of a revamp improving the ride. That said I guess you could argue all 3 were better in their original form (Maybe not XNWO!) Fingers crossed Valhalla is a similar improvement! I have to be honest, I strongly disagree with this. The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure is, for the most part, very well done and an improvement on the version of Bubbleworks that immediately preceded it, but only because that had fallen into poor condition. Tiger Rock however, aside from the new show-piece tiger head, which already looks tired and dated, they completely ruined the theming after the first drop and the majority of other features now look out of place or in desperate need of a paint job. I much preferred Dragon Falls. Walking Dead: The Ride too, ruins the ride in my opinion. It isn't suited to the hardware at all and it was much more enjoyable and fun to ride as X IMO. Valhalla does not need to become a lifeless bland IP-driven investment, and I thoroughly hope it isn't in any way similar to Gruffalo, Tiger Rock or Walking Dead!
November 15, 20204 yr comment_271825 16 hours ago, Coaster said: I have to be honest, I strongly disagree with this. The Gruffalo River Ride Adventure is, for the most part, very well done and an improvement on the version of Bubbleworks that immediately preceded it, but only because that had fallen into poor condition. Tiger Rock however, aside from the new show-piece tiger head, which already looks tired and dated, they completely ruined the theming after the first drop and the majority of other features now look out of place or in desperate need of a paint job. I much preferred Dragon Falls. Walking Dead: The Ride too, ruins the ride in my opinion. It isn't suited to the hardware at all and it was much more enjoyable and fun to ride as X IMO. Valhalla does not need to become a lifeless bland IP-driven investment, and I thoroughly hope it isn't in any way similar to Gruffalo, Tiger Rock or Walking Dead! I agree with the above Bubbleworks in 1990 > Gruffalo > Bubbleworks in 2016. Yes, Gruffalo is an improvement on what immediately preceded in, but that doesn't make up for years of disrepair.
November 15, 20204 yr comment_271828 Ah yeah I meant what they immediately proceeded rather then their originals!
November 16, 20204 yr comment_271835 It's easy to improve on what immediately preceeded though because most rides now have come into in such bad condition that literally any DIY lick of paint feels better than nothing. Valhalla really needs restoring or if it gets a big redesign then improving on when it first opened, which I think it has potential for without losing what people enjoyed about it in the first place. (and I agree to be honest I thought Tiger Rock and Room on the Broome were like 1 step forward, 2 steps back)
November 17, 20204 yr comment_271850 The thing that really made Valhalla was it's extremes and it's scale. Assuming the ride layout is largely unchanged that should remain solid. The extreme wetness we can live with being toned down, but if it also loses its extremes of temperature and spectacle as I fear with the expense of those effects being well documented it's not going to get a good reception, and rightly so.
March 2, 20214 yr comment_272654 Daily Mail are reporting that Pleasure Beach is up for sale and BPB have approached Robbie Williams. It’s the Mail though… https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9316085/Robbie-Williams-considers-buying-Blackpool-Pleasure-Beach-theme-park.html Quote Robbie Williams is considering buying Blackpool Pleasure Beach theme park in a bid to turn the seaside resort into the 'Monaco of the North'. The former Take That singer revealed yesterday how he had been approached by the owners of the North East attraction to see if he would like to buy it. Speaking on Alan Carr's Life's A Beach podcast, the Angels singer, 47, said he was 'tempted,' to buy it and wanted to put together a 'conglomerate of showbiz types,' to revamp the famed attraction. As expected by PB’s “comment” it was basically strange PR A spokesman from the park told MailOnline: 'Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which is wholly owned by the Thompson family has "No Regrets" that Robbie Williams may have "Misunderstood" that "Something Beautiful" like Pleasure Beach is available to buy. 'With a view "Beyond the Sea" from the top of The Big One it's no surprise he is interested, but for now let us entertain you when we reopen for our 125th season on the 12th April.'
March 18, 20214 yr comment_272848 Very annoyed to hear ICON has had belts recently installed. Same as Helix and Copperhead Strike but interestingly not Blue Fire!
March 18, 20214 yr comment_272851 I'm guessing it was offered by Mack as a redundant additionary measure. If it was compulsory I am sure Mack would of added it to their prototype at the large theme park they directly own?
March 18, 20214 yr comment_272853 A moments silence to the days of efficient three train operations on this ride. They will be remembered!
March 18, 20214 yr comment_272855 Almost as stupid as seatbelts on the B&M hypers on Cedar Fair rides. 'I'm sure this tiny little seatbelt is far safer then this giant restraint sitting on my lap.
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